Basic Information
AllTrails link to Vista Loop trail hike
Ramapo Valley Country Reservation Trail Map
Date of hike: 05/09/2021 Mother’s Day hike
Difficulty level: moderate
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 636 feet
Location: Bergen County, Mahwah, NJ
About Ramapo Valley Country Reservation
Ramapo Valley Country Reservation is a 4,000 acres park located in Mahwah, NJ. It offers numerous hiking trails, cross-country skiing trails during the winter, a waterfall, a river for fishing, and a pond. It is home to at least 90 mammal species, and 79 reptile and amphibian species, and over 325 bird species. Some of the wildlife includes bears, deer, frogs, foxes, snakes, woodchucks, turtles, skunks, salamanders, groundhogs, chipmunks, ravens, bluebirds, raptors, cedar waxwings, and sparrows.
Our Impressions
This was my very first hike without Sheldon. Usually, I do the research about the destinations while Sheldon takes on the daunting task of navigating and making sure we make it back to the car before dusk. Since this was a Mother’s Day hike with two of my girlfriends and our kids, I, the only “expert” hiker in the group, was focused on both research and navigation. Following Sheldon’s protocol, I took a photo of the trail map and watched for trail markers like a hawk.
The older kids (three 10 – 12 year olds) complained of child abuse while the younger kids (two 7 year olds) loved the experience. Luckily, Sheldon and I explored the surrounding area two weeks prior to this planned trip so I was familiar with the terrain.
We started along on our hike but were met with a surprise. The trail was temporarily closed due to a mother bear and her cub spotted on the trail. Luckily, the park ranger told us there was an alternative route to get to the same hiking summit very close by.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable hike that was relatively close to home, despite the complaining children. The weather was beautiful and we were hiking with friends.
